Two bus drivers were commended for extinguishing a BMW car burst

SINGAPORE: The two bus drivers who acted swiftly, going above and beyond, to extinguish a car fire in the middle of a road have received enormous praise and are now commended for their actions.

The two brave drivers were at the scene of an accident in Ang Mo Kio, where a black BMW was emitting thick smoke. The car driver lifted the hood of the BMW to check what was causing the smoke, only to find out that it was on fire.

In these crucial and life-threatening moments, the bus driver rushed forward with a fire extinguisher to help put out the fire. A second bus driver joined him to lend a helping hand, and together, they successfully extinguished the fire.

Because of their heroic acts, the two drivers, a 35-year-old and a 49-year-old, received the Community Rescuer Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force at the SBS Transit depot. 

In an interview, one of the drivers admitted that when he saw the car on fire, his immediate thought was to pull over to the side of the road, make sure his passengers were safe, and then grab the fire extinguisher next to the driver’s seat. 

“The fire was very big, and I was worried that if it continued to burn, it would explode and affect other vehicles,” he explained 

He also stated: “When I went back to the bus to get a second fire extinguisher, I saw another bus parked next to me, so I immediately sought help from the other driver.” 

The other driver also shared that he learned how to use a fire extinguisher during their company training, and he never thought that this knowledge would actually come in handy in times of emergencies. 

Both of the drivers were deeply honoured to receive the awards. Their families and friends were very proud of their courage and willingness to help.

In times of emergencies like this, the Civil Defence Force encourages the public to sign up for free first aid courses.

At the award ceremony, the Commander of the Third Division of the Civil Defence Force praised the two bus drivers for showing calmness, alertness and decisiveness during times of trouble, and emphasised that having these skills can help during emergencies. 

In similar news, people also showed kindness in times of trouble when a 29-year-old female driver lost control of her car inside a private residential area. The car crashed into a terraced house and eventually overturned, and several concerned citizens took the initiative to rescue the driver by taking her to the hospital to seek medical assistance. 

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